Whitworth University News

Whitworth's William Bratton, '11, and WSU's Joshua Emery were selected from among 450 applicants to represent District 10 of the Northwest Athletic Trainers' Association at the Collegiate Sports Medicine Foundation's (CSMF) 2010 leadership conference, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The conference is sponsored by Cramer Products, a leading supporter of athletic training programs. CSMF, in collaboration with Cramer, awards 20 full seminar scholarships to athletic training students from across the United States.While in Florida, Bratton and Emery learned about the importance of involvement in one's profession; about creating a personal vision and setting goals; about how to be a professional and an effective leader in athletic training: and about the history and progression of athletic training. The conference included seminars led by Darryl Conway, Kim Detwiler, Susan McGowen, Elizabeth Swann and Frank Walters.

Each year, the conference program leaders and speakers are highly respected professionals with a wealth of knowledge and a passionate desire to share their experiences with young professionals. The seminars provide the students with information about how to apply their knowledge and skills in athletic training and also about how they can excel in their field while advancing their profession. Participants also collaborate with peers from around the country and learn about the diversity of athletic training programs. The workshop allows students to mix learning with fun while they enjoy the weather and the beaches along the Florida coast.

"The conference was an amazing experience, both fun and incredibly educational," Bratton says.

Bratton plans to use the knowledge and experience he gained to help strengthen the Whitworth Athletic Training Club as well as to model effective leadership in the university's athletic training program.

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The university, which has an enrollment of 2,700 students, offers 55 undergraduate and graduate programs.